IF - vocals by Joe Kendrick

"If—" is a poem written in 1895 by Rudyard Kipling, the British author and Nobel laureate best known for works like The Jungle Book and "Gunga Din," and first published in 1910. The poem takes the form of paternal advice from a father to his son, outlining virtues of composure, resilience, humility, and moral integrity in the face of triumph, disaster, betrayal, and life's uncertainties. It reflects Kipling's belief in self-mastery as essential for manhood and leadership, and has since become one of the most quoted English poems, often invoked in contexts of personal motivation, education, and sports.